Trenching-machine



J. J. HAMMEN.

TRENCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1919.

' Patented June 8, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET a .7 u lllllllll l .lwllwllw!!! INVENTCR wl'r'NEssEs ATTOR N EY J. J. HAMMEN.

TRENCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED' MAY 9, 1919.

Patented June 8, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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INVENTOR WITNESSES FFICE.

JOHN JOSEPH HAMMEN, OF SPENCER, IOWA.

TBENCHING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JUL-IN Josnrrr HAM- MEN,a citizen of the United States, residing at Spencer, in the county ofClay and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Trenchlug-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This inventionhas reference to trenching machines, and it relates moreparticularly to a curb structure and parts cooperating therewith,whereby the side walls of the trench are prevented from caving in whilepipe or tiles are being laid in the trench,

the curb being arranged to travel with the trenching machine.

In accordance with the invention, which may be used in conjunction witha trenching machine or excavator of the chain or ladder tvpe, curbs orplates are carried by the end of the boom remote from the body of theexcavator in trailing relation to the boom and are braced and connectedso as to travel with the boom along the walls of the formed trench,thereby preventing cave-ins which might be harmful to workmen followingafter the excavator and laying pipe in the bottom of the formed trench.The curbs or shields are so connected to the boom as to move along thetrench at the bottom portion thereof irrespective of the slant of theboom because of different depths of cut, while certain portions of thecurb or shield structure are fixed to the boom and telescope more orless with relation to that portion of the curb protecting the workmen.

In order to provide for the automatic accommodation of the curb orshield, digging cutters or reamers are carried by the excavator belt orchain so as to correspondingly widen the trench and permit the easytravel of the curb along the trench, said cutters or reamers beingbrought into operation only in the upward travel of said belt or chain.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding,however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformitywith the showing of the drawings, but may be changed and modified solong as such changes and modifications mark no material departure fromSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1920.

1919. Serial No. 295,950.

the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings Figure l is a side elevation of a trench machine withthe invention applied but omitting many details of construction notpertinent to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view of the digging end of the boom in longitudinal sectionand showing a portion of the curb structure carried thereby.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4; is a bottom plan view of the lower or digging end of the boomshowing reaming cutters thereon, and means for projecting the cutters.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the upper end of the boom showing means forretracting the reaming cutters.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the cutting end of one of the reamers.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a caterpillar tractor 1, boom2, and boom supporting frame of a known type of trench digger. Theshowing may be taken as indicative of any suitable form of trenchdigger, wherefore 'no detail description is deemed necessary. The boomcarries an endless series of cutting buckets or scoops 3 mounted onchains 4 and the boom is supported and controlled by a derrick 5, all ofwhich may be of. usual construction. At the lower end the chains at passabout supporting idlers 6 which are mounted upon a shaft 7 suitablyjournaled in the lower end of the boom.

At the lower end of the boom there are secured side plates 8 of a curbeach provided with numerous longitudinal brace bars 9, which may be inthe form of T-bars without limitation to such particular shape, and atthe rear end of each plate, that is the end remote from the boom, thereis an upright T-bar 9 The plates 8 are braced and held in spacedrelation by rods 10 conthe forward lower end with an ear 12, said earsembracing the lower end of the boom and mounted on the shaft 7 as apivotal support so that the plates 8 may rock on and be carried by theshaft.

Fast to opposite sides of the boom 2 are other plates 13, said platesbeing made fast to the boom so as to move therewith. These plates 13 arein telescoping relation to the plates 8 and have stiffening bars 14secured thereto. Like the plates 8, the. plates 13 are joined by rods10. The assembly of the plates 8 and 13 connected and braced asdescribed forms a curb traveling with the trench digger as it movesalong the ground, the curb being located in the formed trench sothat'the bottom of the curb will travel along the bottom of the trench.The plates 13 are overlapped by the plates 8 and the extent ofoverlapping is sufficient to maintain the overlappedcondition despitevariations in tilt of the boom and differences in angular relation ofthe curb members 8 and 13.

The trench formed by the buckets or scoops 3 is narrower than the widthof the curb, so in order to suitablyform the trench to accommodate thecurb, other cutters or reamers 15 are provided. travel with the seriesof buckets or scoops 3. Each reamer 15 comprises a bar 16. broadened andsharpened at one end 17 which end '17 is bent at an angle to the lengthof the bar 16; Extending between the chains tare plateslS having clipsor guides 19 at the ends, each guide being traversed by a bar 16. Lachplate 18 has alined slots 20 extending lengthwise of the plate onopposite sides ofthe center point thereof. Each bar 16 carries a roller21 mounted on a pintle'22 on the bar, which pintle may be inthe form ofa bolt and is extended through a corresponding slot 20, and thereforethe slots and pintles serve to guide the inner ends of thebars 16.

At the lower end portion of the beam 2 there is secured to the beam aspreader 23 which may be, as shown, a triangular or V-shaped frame inthe path of the rollers 21, so that these rollers are first engaged bythe pointed end of the spreader, and as the chains 4 travel, the reamershave their digging edges 17 forced outwardly into engagementiwith theside walls of the trench close to the bottom thereof. The reamers thentravel along the trench in an inclined path due to the position of theboom, thereby' widening the trench formed by the buckets or scoops 3. Inthis way the trench is made of suitably increased width to accommod'atethe curb so that there is no, undue resistance to the movement of thecurb along the trench with the excavating devices.

The return movement of the reamers 15 cause them to pass between theplates or walls 13, and as these walls are closer to- Thesereamersgether than the active projected position of the cutting edges17,the latter must be retracted. To do this there is provided a guide frame24 carried by the boom 2 and positioned at or near the upper end thereofWell out of the trench. The guide frame or closer 24 has approachingsides in the direction of travel of the roller-s21 so, as, to engagethese rollers and move the reamer ends 17 toward each other and closertogether than the spacing between the plates 13, wherefore the reamerson entering the formed trench travel between the plates 13, but as soonas they have passed the plates 13 upon their upward movement the rollers21 are engaged by the spreader 23 and the reamer edges 17 are projectedto engage the side walls of the trench and trim off a sufficient amountto accommodate the curb.

.sary to make the trench deeper the curb may be enlarged by addingsections to the top thereof' It will be understood, of 00 course, thatthe plates 8 and'13 may be made up of a plurality of individual platesriveted or otherwise secured together.

The plates 13 are fixed to the boom or parts carried thereby so as tomove with the boom and serve to protect the lower end of the boom fromcave-ins of the side walls of the trench. The connected plates 8, con.-stituting the main portion of the curb, provide a rigid resistingstructure forming a shield holding the side walls of the trench fromcaving in and protecting the person or persons laying the pipe. The curbmade up of the plates 8 is connected to and travels with the boom, butthe connection is a single pivotal connection to permit changingrelations between the boom and curb due to variations. in the depth ofthe trench. Such single pivotal connection comprising the shaft 7, inthe structure shown in the drawings, permits the curb'comprising theplates 8 totravel on and along the bottom of the trench and maintain avertical position irrespective of variations in the angle of the boom tothe bottom of the trench, while the telescoping relation between theplates 13 and the plates 8 permitsthe variations without admitting dirtto any material extent. into the curb.

The rods 10 are arranged; in upright series, one series being locatednear the front ofthe curb and the other series near the rear of the curbso as to leave ample working space between the rods. While any speciallocation of the reamers or cutters is not obligatory they may beconveniently located midway between the buckets or scoops 3 so as to notinterfere with the scoops or be interfered with by them.

It has been proposed in this art to provide reamers or cutters to widenthe trench cut by the buckets or scoops for the purpose of insertingplanking, but in such proposed construction, the reamers or cutters werepivoted so as to swing by gravity. In my construction, the reainers orcutters are forced into and out of action by means which is directandpositive in operation and does not depend upon the force of gravity.It is the mechanical forcing of the reamers or cutters into and out ofaction which I desire to claim irrespective of the means by which thisresult is accomplished.

It is old in this art to employ protecting plates carried by the boom toprotect the same; and it is also old to employ a curb to protect theworkmen, but such protecting means have always been either for the onepurpose or the other, and so far as I am aware, no machine has everbeenconstructed heretofore which combines in the same structure means forprotecting both the machine and the workmen from cave-ins, saidprotecting means being carried by the boom so as to be lifted into andout of the trench, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to theprecise means described for carrying out this end.

What is claimed is 1- i v 1. In a trench digging machine employing aboom carrying an endless series of buckets or scoops mounted on chains,and a shaft at the lower end of the boom provided with sprockets for thechains, the combination therewith of a curb structure for traveling in atrench formed by the buckets or scoops, said structure comprising sideplates connected together in spaced relation to engage the side walls ofa formed trench, said plates being provided at their forward lower endswith ears embracing the lower end of the boom at each side, andpivotally mounted on said shaft, and constituting the sole pivotalconnection between the side plates and said shaft, whereby the curbstructure may maintain its position in the trench irrespective ofvariations in the slant of the boom.

2 In a trench digging machine having an endless flexible excavatingmeans, and auxiliary cutting means for widening the trench made by saidexcavating means, said auxiliary cutting means being forced into and outof cutting position by mechanism actuated by movement of said excavatingmeans.

3. In a trench digging machine, provided with a boom, and an endlessseries of excavating elements carried thereby, a curb pivoted at itslower forward end to the lower end of the boom, said curb serving as aprotection for workmen and maintaining its position resting on thebottom of the trench irrespective of variations of the level of thelatter, said boom carrying shields on opposite sides fixed thereto, saidshields closing the space between the curb and the boom and providingfor the protection of the boom and the parts carried thereby.

4. In a trench digging machine provided with a boom and an endlessseries of buckets carried thereby, a curb pivoted at its lower forwardend to the lower end of the boom, said curb comprising side platesconnected together in spaced relation to engage the side walls of aformed trench, whereby the curb serves as a protection for workmenengaged in laying pipe in the trench and the curb will maintain itsposition in the bottom of the trench irrespective of variations in therelation of the boom and curb, said boom carryingshields on oppositesides fixed to the boom and telescoping with the forward end of thecurb.

In a trench digging machine provided with a boom and an endless seriesof buckets carried thereby, a curb pivoted at its lower forward end tothe lower end of the boom, said curb comprising side plates connectedtogether in spaced relation to engage the side walls of a formed trench,whereby the curb serves as a protection for workmen engaged in layingpipe in the trench and the curb will maintain its position ,in thebottom of the trench irrespective of variations in the relation of theboom and curb, said boom carrying shields on opposite sides fixed to theboom and telescoping with the forward end of the curb, and said curbhaving a series of spacing members connecting the sides of the curb nearthe front and rear ends thereof, whereby working room is obtained withinthe curb between the series of spacing members.

6. In a trench digging machine provided with a boom and excavatingdevices carried by the boom into the trench being formed, a curb pivotedat a low point to the rear end of the boom to rock on an axis transverseof the boom, with the pivot constituting the sole connection between theboom and the curb, said curb comprising side plates with longitudinaland upright stiffening bars, and spacers connected to and connecting theplates, said spacers being located in upright series near the endportions of the plates whereby to provide working room between theplates.

7. In. a trench digging machine provided with a boom and excavatingdevices carried by the boom into the trench being formed,

a curb pivoted at a low point to the rear end of the boom torock on. anaxis transverse of the boom, with thepivot constitutingthe soleconnection between the boom and the curb, said curb comprisingsideplates with longitudinal and upright stiffening bars, and spacersconnected to and connecting the plates, said spacers being located inuprightseries near the-end portions of the plates whereby to provideworking room between the plates, the boom also having side plates fastto and movable with the boom during variations in its angular positionand telescoping at the rear ends in the forward end of the curb;

8..In a trench digging machine provided with a boom and an endlessseries of cutting elementscarried by the boom for forming a trench, acurb connected to thelower end of the boom for traveling in the formedtrench to hold the walls of the latter from caving in, and reamerscarried by the boom, with the reamers and boom provided with coactingmeans for projecting the reamers to widen the trench and for retractingthe reamers before enteringthe trench.

' 9. In a trench digging machine provided with a boom and an endlessseries of excavating devices carried by the boom into the trench beingformed, a curb at the lower end of the boom for traveling in the formedtrench to prevent the caving in of the side walls thereof, a series ofreamers carried by the endless series of excavating buckets to widen thetrench formed bythe buckets so as to accommodate the curb, means at thelower end portion of the boom for projecting the reamers intoactiveposition, and

1 means at the upper end portion of the boom for retracting the reamers.

10. In a trench digging machine provided with a boom having an endlessseries of excavating buckets carried by the boom into the trench beingformed, a curb pivotally connected to and carried by the rear end of theboom within the formed trench, shields on the boom where enteringthe-trench and telescoping into the curb, reamers carried by the endlessseries. of buckets and having a path of travel to take them between theplates on the boom and into the curb, and means on the boom forprojecting the reamers into engagement with the side walls of the trenchadjacent to the lower end ofthe boom on the upper run of the excavatingbuckets and for retracting the reamers before reaching the side plateson the boom while moving with the down run of the buckets. 11-. Inatrench digging machine having a V boom-with an endless seriesof'excavating buckets including endless carrying chains therefor, withthe boom directing the buckets into the trench being formed, a curbpivoted to the lower end of the boom to move about an axis transverse ofthe boom, reamers carried by the chains to move with and'between thebuckets, and means for positively projecting the reamers into engagementwith the side walls of the trench and retracting'them from-the sidewalls of the trench, whereby the trench may be widened to accommodatethe curb and the reamers may be retracted to a'position to traverse aportion of the curb without in-- terference therewith.

12. In a trench forming machine provided with a boom carrying an endlessseries of excavating buckets, with the boom directing the buckets intothe trench, a curb pivotally carried by the lower end of the boom withtheaxis of the pivot transverse to. the boom and said pivot constitutingthe sole connection between the curb and the boom, side plates orshields on the boom where entering the trench and telescoping into theforward end of the curb, reamers carried by the endless series ofbuckets to being formed, a seriesof reamers carried by the series ofexcavating devices, each reamer comprising a bar with one end broadenedand sharpened and bent at an angle to the length of the bar, and asupport for each reamer arranged to permit lengthwise movement of thereamer on the support.

14:. In a trench forming machine provided with a boomand an endlessseries of excavating buckets carriedby the boomvinto the trench beingformed, a series of plates carried by and extending transversely of theendless series of buckets, each plate having longitudinal slots onopposite sides of its mid-point, and guides at the extremities of theplates in line with the slots, and reamers each comprising an elongatedbar movable through a respective guide, said bar carrying at oneendguiding means coacting with a respective slot and-at the other endbeing broadened and bent at an angle. and provided with a sharpenedterminaledge.

15. In a trench forming machine having a boom and an endlessfser'ies ofexcavating buckets or cutters carried by the boom into the trench beingformed, plates fast to and extending crosswise of the endless series ofbuckets, said plates each having alined lon-' gitudinal'slots onopposite sides of its midpoint and guides at the outer ends,v reamers,

carried by each end of each plate and extending through the guides andeach reamer having a roller and a pintle therefor at the inner end, withthe pintle passing through a respective slot in the plate and the outerend of each reamer being bent at an angle and broadened and sharpened, aspreader at the lower end portion of the boom in the path of the rollerson the reamers to project the latter, and tracks in approaching relationand located at the upper end portion of the boom for engaging therollers to retract the reamers.

16. In a trench forming machine having a boom and an endless series ofexcavating buckets or cutters carried by the boom into the trench beingformed, plates fast to and extending crosswise of the endless series ofbuckets, reamers carried by each end of each plate and each reamerhaving a roller,

,a spreader at the lower end portion of the boom in the path of therollers on the reamers to project the latter, and tracks in approachingrelation and located at the upper end portion of the boom for engagingthe rollers to retract the reamers.

17. In a trench forming machine provided with a boom carrying an endlessseries of excavating buckets, with the b0om directing the buckets intothe trench, a curb pivotally carried by the lower end of the boom, sideplates or shields on the boom where entering the trench and telescopinginto the forward end of the curb, and reamers carried by the boom toenlarge the width of the trench formed by the buckets so as toaccommodate the shields and curb.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature.

JOHN JOSEPH HAMMEN.

W'itnesses:

Gno. C. KING, FLn'rci-mn A. Home.

